United We Stand
by Jedi Master Calriel
Summary: AU. Every year, Luke Skywalker and Leia Organa look forward to their birthdays, not for the normal reason, but because that is the only time they are allowed to visit each other. They are twins, but know one must know, for reasons that have not been expla
1. Prologue

Disclaimer: I don't own Star Wars, wish I did, but I don't.

A/N: Okay, obviously this is an AU, meaning I have taken certain liberties with a bunch of aspects of the Star Wars universe. Although, I have tried to only make probable changes. You have been warned.

United We Stand

Prologue

"Split up, they will be."

"Master Yoda, I understand that they must be split up, but they should not be kept in the dark about each other. The bond between them is already strong. It may do serious damage to both babies if they were kept from one another."

"I agree with Master Kenobi. I don't pretend to understand all aspects of the Force, but I do know that a brother and a sister should never be kept apart, let alone if they are twins."

"Settled, it is then. Split up, they will be, but kept apart, they will not be."

"I will take the girl. My wife and I have always talked about adopting a baby girl. She will be loved with us."

"Very well, Senator Organa."

"I will take the boy to his family on Tatooine. I'll watch over them from afar."

"Arrange a meeting between the two once a year, you two will. Faith in you, I have. Faith in yourselves and your charges, must you have now.


	2. Chapter One: Leia on Tatooine

Disclaimer: I don't own Star Wars, wish I did, but I don't.

United We Stand

Chapter One

An excited sixteen-year-old Luke Skywalker bounced into the kitchen of the old moisture farm. His bright blue eyes were shining with anticipation. It was his birthday tomorrow, which meant that he was going to have a visitor come today and stay until the day after. That's how it has always been. His sister was coming.

They both looked forward to this every year. For three days, they could spend time with each other in the physical plane. But no one could know about it. They had to keep each other a secret from everyone, or someone would find them, someone who they definitely did not want to confront. At least, that's what they had always been told. No matter how much either of them questioned, though, they never could get any answers out of anyone— not Uncle Owen or Aunt Beru or Master Obi-Wan or Leia's foster father Bail. They were all very tightlipped about everything. They even kept him from joining the Alliance. Oh, they always came up with a good excuse though. It's too dangerous, we need you here, and the like. But the fact of the matter was that Leia was there, and at any time something could happen to her, and he wouldn't be there.

But today, that didn't matter. Leia was coming. He was finally getting to see his sister again.

OoOoOoOoO

Leia smiled to herself as she settled down into a land speeder that her foster father had managed to secure. She hated all the secrecy surrounding her visit, but as long as she got to come, she didn't care. She had been separated from Luke for long enough. How she wished that Uncle Owen and Aunt Beru would relent and let him join the Alliance! But that was her thinking selfishly. That would put him in danger, but she wanted him to be near.

She smiled as she saw the moisture farm come into view. She loved coming here. She didn't have to be the Imperial Senator, or the perfectly poised Alderaanian Princess, or the exalted leader of the Alliance. Here, she could just be Leia. She didn't have to hide behind a façade. No one would judge her here—not Luke, not her aunt and uncle, not even Obi-Wan. Nobody expected anything from her except herself.

She stepped out of the speeder and practically ran to the homestead. The door was thrown open before she got there and the young man standing there caused her to shift from practically running to full out running.

"Luke!" she cried joyfully as she ran into her brother's outstretched arms.

"Leia!" he said, just as happy. "I'm so glad to see you! I've missed you so much!"

"I know," she said. "I've missed you just as much!"

"Come on, if I keep you out here too long, Aunt Beru will skin me alive. She's been cooking all morning in preparation of our big birthday dinner!" Luke laughed.

"Well, I would hate to keep her waiting," she said as she followed him here.

"Leia dear!" Aunt Beru exclaimed as she caught sight of her niece. She gave her a warm, motherly hug. "I'm glad to see you're well, my dear. Owen, look who's here!"

"Well, if it isn't my little girl," Owen said, showing the soft spot that he reserved for only Beru and Leia.

"Not so little any more, Uncle," Leia replied, giving him a hug and a peck on the cheek.

"That you aren't, lamb. Both of you have grown up far too quickly for my comfort."

OoOoOoOoO

The three days went by far too quickly for Luke. He hated to see his sister leave. He knew that she was in constant danger due to her political positions. He also knew that there was no way for him to protect her until he was allowed to join the Alliance, which everyone was dead-set against. What they were so afraid of was anybody's guess. As he and Leia exchanged their tearful farewells, he thought about how unfair their lives were. What was the big secret that was hidden from them. What would it matter if anybody knew if they were twins or not? It's not like anyone would care about one iota about him. Sure, it wouldn't go unnoticed with Leia being who she was, but it's not like anyone would care too much in the grand scheme of things, especially with the epic battle being waged between the Empire and the Alliance, neither of which would find much interest in the reuniting of a pair of twins.

Tbc…

Okay, next chapter, Luke on Alderaan! Please review!


	3. Chapter Two: Luke on Alderaan

Disclaimer: See Chapter One

A/N: Thanks to all of you who reviewed! Hope ya'll enjoy this chapter as well!

United We Stand

Chapter Two

Luke stepped off the transport ship and looked around anxiously. He had thought that he would never get here. Even if changing transports on different planets hadn't been necessary for security reasons, he probably wouldn't have been able to get from Tatooine straight to Alderaan. Why would anyone from an Outer Rim, Hutt-controlled planet like Tatooine have any kind of reason to go to such a respectable planet as Alderaan? Asking around for a ride directly to his destination would definitely raise a few eyebrows, which was why he had been stuck on transport after transport for the past two days.

Luckily, here on Alderaan, he didn't have to worry about finding a way to get to the country home of the royal family to meet with his sister. Bail had arranged everything on planet for him.

As he stepped into the speeder that was to take him to Leia, he smiled to himself in appreciation of his sister's foster father. No, he was more than just Leia's foster father. Bail, with his open affection to Leia, and himself on these visits, had become somewhat of a second father-figure to him.

He relaxed in his seat as the speeder zoomed across the land. It seemed that, on Alderaan, nothing could happen to him or anyone he loved. It was far too peaceful to allow any evil to occur. No matter what happened elsewhere in the galaxy, Alderaan would always be a symbol of peace to him.

OoooOoooOoooO

Leia waited impatiently for Luke to arrive. She couldn't wait to see her brother again. As his speeder pulled up, she ran outside to meet him.

"Luke!" she yelled, running into his open arms.

"Leia," he whispered as he embraced her. He was suddenly struck by a terrible feeling that this would be the last time he would be able to do this. He quickly shook the feeling off, resolved not to think about such things now, not here, not in these peaceful surroundings.

He reluctantly pulled away from his sister, only to be pulled into a fatherly hug from Bail.

"Luke, my boy, it has been far too long," Bail said, pulling back and holding the young man he considered his son at arm length. "You have grown since your last visit here. I regret that I was unable to join Leia on her visit to your home last year."

"You are a very busy man, sir, and I do not doubt that whatever detained you was very important," Luke replied.

"Never too busy for one of my children, and don't think that I don't consider you one of my own, young man," Bail stated seriously. "And now, shall we all go inside and get something to eat. I'm sure you are starving after your journey here. I've eaten the food on public transports. I know what you've ate for the last two days."

OoooOoooOoooO

As always, the time the twins spent together seem to be over before it even began. When it came time for Luke to leave, reluctance to let go of each other was prominent in both twins. Somehow, they knew that it wouldn't be like this for a long time. Something was going to happen soon, they just didn't know what.

"Be careful," Luke whispered earnestly at their parting.

"I promise," Leia said sincerely.

Bail then bid Luke farewell.

"Good-bye, sir," Luke said, while being struck with the finality of that at the same time. On impulse, he hugged the man, somehow feeling that this may be his last chance to relay how much the older man meant to him.

After many tearful words with Leia, he began his journey back to the Outer Rim.

Tbc…

Please review!


	4. Chapter Three: Unfortunate Events

Disclaimer: See Chapter One

_Unfortunate events, though potentially a source for anger and despair, have equal potential to be a source of spiritual growth. Whether or not this is the outcome depends on our response."_

-The Dalai Lama

United We Stand

Chapter Three

Luke wiped the sweat that had accumulated on his forehead away. Days spent like this under the sweltering heat of Tatoo I and II, the two stars that unleashed their fury upon the sand-covered planet, made Luke think longingly of escaping like the little boy in the stories Sabé, Leia's nurse, used to tell his sister and him on his visits to Alderaan. Of course, he was far from a little slave boy, and there were no Jedi in existence to carry him away. Naturally, he would be sad to leave his aunt and uncle, just as the boy had been sad to leave his mother. Owen and Beru were the closest things he had to parents. Sure, Owen could be gruff at times, but he did care. He had his reasons for doing the things that he did, and Luke respected that, even if he didn't like it at times.

Suddenly, he felt very alone. Disconcerted, he searched to find the source of this newfound loneliness. Then, he realized what it was. His link to Leia was being blocked. He tried to reach out to her, but it was clear that he could not breach whatever it was that had caused this blockage. He just prayed that everything was alright.

He looked back at the droid that was supposed to help him with the vaporators. It was spinning like crazy and smoke was billowing out of it. He shook his head in disgust, and left it there, confident it would be gone when he got back. He jumped into his speeder and took off toward the town of Anchorhead, trying desperately not to think of anything related to his sister and why their bond had been obstructed.

OoooOoooOoooO

Leia had felt the Darkness emanating from Darth Vader as soon as he boarded the ship. Being brought before him only proved that she was right in cutting Luke off from what was happening. She had no desire to have him feel her pain when she was tortured, or her terror at the thought that they might pry knowledge of the Alliance out of her. She only hoped that C-3PO and R2-D2 had managed to reach Tatooine. Those plans had to reach the Rebel Alliance or who knew what kind of destruction the Empire would inflict upon the galaxy.

OoooOoooOoooO

"You're what?" Luke asked, not believing his friend's words.

"I'm jumping ship at the next port, me and a few other crew members of the _Ecliptic_," Biggs replied calmly. "I just had to tell someone, Luke, and I trust you. I'm going to join the Alliance."

"And how are you going to do that? Their bases aren't exactly in plain sight," Luke commented.

"A friend of mine from the Academy has this friend on Beltine that's going to help us."

"A friend of a friend? I hope you know what you're doing, Biggs. This twice-removed friend could very well end up being an Imperial agent."

"Listen, Luke, I don't care. If you only knew the kind of terrible things the Empire is doing…"

"I do, and I know you want to help, I want to help as well. All I'm saying is be careful. These Imperials are tricky. You don't want to end up dead or worse," Luke stated. "You're my best friend, I don't want to lose you before I can join up with you and really kick some Imperial butt."

"Well, when you put it that way." Biggs smiled. "Take care of yourself, kid. Be a little more cautious with those crazy canyon races. I would hate to hear you ended up as a smear on the desert rock."

"I guess this is goodbye then. I'll be seeing you."

"You had better."

OoooOoooOoooO

"Luke!" he heard his aunt calling. "Your uncle needs your help with buying some new droids from the Jawas!"

"Alright!" he yelled back, going outside to meet his uncle.

As he surveyed the droids lined up for inspection, two caught his eye immediately, causing his alarm at the silence on the other end of his twin-bond to flare up.

"Uncle Owen," he whispered urgently. "Those two droids over there belong to Leia."

His uncle nodded, understanding the implications of that statement. He bartered and appeared disinterested with the Jawas, but finally agreed on a relatively reasonable price for the two droids, along with two others, certain that the two belonging to his niece would probably not be kept at the homestead for long.

OoooOoooOoooO

"Alright, you two, what happened?" Luke asked urgently as soon as they were safe inside.

"I'm afraid," C-3PO began, "that our spaceship was attacked and boarded by stormtroopers."

"And Leia?" Luke asked, afraid of what the answer would be.

"I do not know what happened to the princess," the protocol droid said before being interrupted by a series of beeps from his counterpart. "It appears that Artoo-Detoo has a message addressed from her to either a Luke Skywalker or an Obi-Wan Kenobi."

"Well, what are you waiting for? Play the message!"

Suddenly a small blue figure was emitted from the astromech droid. Once in focus, it was clear that this figure was Leia. She spoke quickly, but precisely, "I don't know which one of you will receive this message, but I urge you not to worry about me. Artoo contains vital information for the Alliance. You must take him to my father on Alderaan. He will be know what to do. And Luke, don't come after me, like I know you want to. It is too dangerous. Please, don't risk yourself." The image then flickered out.

"NO!" Luke yelled in anguish.

"Luke…" Beru said, laying a comforting hand on his shoulder.

"I've got to see Obi-Wan," he said hoarsely, trying desperately to hold back his tears.

Owen nodded. "You had better take those droids with you."

OoooOoooOoooO

Obi-Wan did not seem surprised to learn of Leia's fate. He only sighed wearily, like a great burden had somehow become heavier. He looked at Luke resignedly and said, "I think that it is time that you knew the truth."

Luke stared in wonder at the older man as he told him the truth about his father. All this time, he had been led to believe that his father was just an ordinary pilot. Now, out of nowhere, comes the truth of him being a Jedi Knight, a guardian of peace and justice. And yet, it did not surprise him. Somehow, it felt as if he had always known it, and it explained his and Leia's connection with the Force. And if Darth Vader really did kill his father, it accounted for why he and Leia had to be kept secret.

"Listen to me, Luke," Obi-Wan said after he had given him his father's lightsaber. "You and Leia must be trained, together. Force-sensitive twins are very rare, and together their power is magnified. Your father was strong with the Force, as are both of you. To utilize that strength, you must be trained as Jedi."

"And you will train us?" Luke asked.

"As long as I can. Now, let us go see your uncle and aunt before we leave for Alderaan."

OoooOoooOoooO

"They must have been attacked by Tusken Raiders," Luke said as they surveyed the destroyed Jawa caravan.

"Or someone who wants us to think that," Obi-Wan commented. "Look at these tracks, they are scattered all about. Tuskens walk in a straight line to hide their numbers. And these shots were too accurate to have come from a Raider. Only Imperial Stormtroopers have such precision. My guess is that they had tracked your sister's droids to these Jawas."

"But if they did that, then that would lead them…" Luke's eyes widened. "Home."

He raced toward the speeder and jumped in. Before Obi-Wan could stop him, he had zoomed off towards the homestead.

OoooOoooOoooO

The sight that met Luke was devastating. All that was left of his aunt and uncle was two smoking skeletons. The stormtroopers had apparently shown no mercy. All of his memories of Beru and Owen flashed before his eyes. They were good people. They did not deserve this. His sweet Aunt Beru, always caring, always loving; and his stern Uncle Owen, guiding him, instilling a firm sense of right and wrong, affectionate, if gruff, in his own way. The emotions welling up in him accumulated a finally sprang to the surface in an agony-filled cry.

Tbc…


	5. Chapter Four: Shattered Peace

Disclaimer: See Prologue.

A/N: No, I'm not dead. Thanks to beauty0102 for inspiring me to get my lazy butt up and update this story!

_Darkness cannot drive out darkness; only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate; only love can do that. Hate multiplies hate, violence multiplies violence; toughness multiplies toughness in a descending spiral of destruction… The chain reaction of evil— hate begetting hate, wars producing more wars— must be broken, or we shall be plunged into the darkness… of annihilation._

_-_Martin Luther King, Jr.

United We Stand

Chapter Four

Luke approached Obi-Wan with a sad, yet determined face. "I'm ready. There's nothing left for me here. I want to become a Jedi like my father."

Obi-Wan just nodded, deciding not to question the boy about his aunt and uncle's fate. They got back into the speeder and headed for Mos Eisley. After managing to get past the storm troopers by a clever Jedi mind trick, they went to a local bar where Obi-Wan believed they might find a pilot willing to take them to Alderaan.

They found one in the form of Han Solo, captain of the _Millennium Falcon_. Luke found his smug and cocky attitude very off-puttingyet at the same time, oddly appealing. Working out a deal with him, which in Luke's opinion was far too generous, they managed to get off the planet without _too_ much trouble.

Once safely in hyperspace, Han looked his two passengers over. "You are going to be far more trouble than you're worth, aren't you?" he said brazenly. "You're lucky I'm good."

OoooOoooOoooO

Leia looked on in horror as Alderaan came into the view port. When she heard the order to arm the weapon, her heart stopped.

"NO! You can't!" she insisted. "Alderaan is a peaceful planet, we have no military defense!"

"Then tell us where the rebels are!"

She couldn't do that. The Alliance was the only hope this galaxy had. But she couldn't just let all her people die, including her father! And maybe even Obi-Wan or Luke! She had no way of knowing if they had gotten her message and gone to Alderaan already. She had cut herself off from them. She had to say something!

"Dantooine, they're on Dantooine," she said, bowing her head in a defeated way.

"Now, that wasn't so hard. Fire when ready."

"What?" she cried, horrified.

"Dantooine is hardly a planet to demonstrate the might of this weapon on. Alderaan would send a much more powerful statement," the admiral replied coldly.

Leia was forced to watch in horror as Alderaan, her beautiful home, the planet Luke once described to her as a symbol of peace, was destroyed before her very eyes. Her father, her people, maybe even her brother, blown away by a decrepit old man's lust for power and control. A senseless act of hate against the galaxy. Millions dead for nothing. It left Leia feeling deeply depressed, and it fueled her determination to help the Alliance defeat this monster in any way possible.

As Vader was about to shut her up in her cell again, he turned to her suddenly. "I am sorry. There was no reason for your home to be destroyed." With that said, he turned on his heel and closed the door behind him.

For some odd reason, Leia believed him.

OoooOoooOoooO

The sudden loss of the millions of people on Alderaan hit Obi-Wan hard. Luke also was affected, but not by the millions. His link to Bail, which had always looked in his subconscious, was shattered. Not blocked, not cut off, but destroyed. In his heart, Luke knew that only one thing could cause that. However, he did not want to believe it. He had already lost one father-figure. He didn't know how he would take losing another.

Tbc…


End file.
